Account for missing funds, says chief

MASERU – THE Principal Chief of Likhoele, Chief Lerotholi Seeiso, says government leaders should be made to account for public funds that went missing under their watch.

Chief Seeiso was speaking at a Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) rally in his area in Mafeteng over the weekend.

He said Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro and his deputy Mathibeli Mokhothu must answer for the missing funds.

The Senator said about M6 billion and a further M50 million went missing under the current government’s watch.

“The government has to account for the missing staggering M6 billion and M50 million from the state coffers,” Chief Seeiso said.

“Now we have been informed that only M18 million of the missing M50 million has been recovered from the wrong hands,” he said.

Chief Seeiso was referring to the M50 million that was siphoned out of the country through muddy tenders and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) managed to recover only M18 million.

He was also referring to the missing M6 billion cited in a recent report by the Auditor General.

He said his call on the government to account for the missing funds is not influenced by party politics but his sense of responsibility as one of the leaders in Lesotho.

“We are being labelled politicians by some people when we talk about issues that affect the nation,” he said.

“Basotho should know that they are the ones who have voted this government into power.”

“For this reason, they have to hold it accountable because they are the taxpayers.”

The chief said “a political party is not one’s clan and the ball is now in your court to decide whether to return the same people into the government or not”.

In Sesotho culture one cannot change his clan because he was born in the clan and is related to all the clan members by blood.

He said the whole Cabinet should account for the missing funds “because of a doctrine of collective responsibility in government”.

“The entire Cabinet should give the money back because it belongs to the government,” he said.

Nkheli Liphoto